ATP MASTERS 1000: CINCINNATI - THE FINAL

Rotla!!!!!
I starts at 6 BST, so 2 more hours to go

noleisthebest wrote:Rotla!!!!!
I starts at 6 BST, so 2 more hours to go

Oh.. right.. I need some

GO NOLEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE

Delpo's not going to be able to hang out with Nole today.

noleisthebest wrote:GO NOLEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE

Del Potro isnt showing the same form he did at the Olympics,Novak should win this in straight sets

I haven't seen their Oympic match, but Delpo is looking pretty good atm, just think he won't be able to last long rallies for 3 sets if it comes to that.

at 5:2 down, Delpo calls the trainer.

OOOO-LEY O-LEY- OLE-Y O-LEY NOOOOO-LEEE NOOO-LEEEE

first set 6:3

Del Potro doesn't look like a serious contender for the U.S Open title off the back of that performance

I think Delpo wasn't going to kill himself today, esp as he seems to have sore left wrist (my guess is tendonitis). Still he played and played well, just that Novak brough his best game.
Novak is a better player and when his got his A game on, Delpo doesn't stand a chance. He may look good with those deadly forehands ant they are brilliant, but he can't do it consistently against a defender like Novak, who was also returning Delpo's serve with ease. He can have a good set or two and that's about it.

I haven't seen the Olympic match, but I'm assuming Delpo wanted that medal so baldy he played his heart out and won. I'm happy he won the medal, as Nole was really only interested in gold there, since he won the bronze in Beijing.

Federer Wawrinka matches are so like Nadal Ferrer ones...

noleisthebest wrote:Federer Wawrinka matches are so like Nadal Ferrer ones...

With exception that Fed tanks it to Stan then the matches are one-sided. Fed feels very relaxed without having Nadal in a draw, so the more I wish Nole the best to win it tomorrow. If Nole wins then USO gets a favorite. Go NOLEE

Finally Roger closes out the first set...god that took forever...how many set points did he have??

4-5...

Wow, Stan has discovered he's got a forehand!!!!!!

noleisthebest wrote:Wow, Stan has discovered he's got a forehand!!!!!!

He proved to be quite a formidable opponent for Roger today,I guess they know each others game inside out
Once Fed broke he just ran away with it

The final tomorrow at 17.30 PM BST

NOLEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE

Fed hangs onto the no 1 ranking for the U.S Open

Veejay wrote:Fed hangs onto the no 1 ranking for the U.S Open

Is that true? regarless what happens tomorrow?



The scoere between Stan and Fed is closer than it coudl have been. The first set could have easily been 61 or 62. But good to see Stan playing so well...and so did Fed. He looked tired towards teh end...or too relax....maybe both.



From what I saw today, I think Fed has a good chance tomorrow!

Tenez wrote:


From what I saw today, I think Fed has a good chance tomorrow!

Both Novak and Fed played very well in Cincy.
Novak is hitting his best, nearly there, if not there already.

Fed probably played best I've seen him play this year. Beter than Wimbledon.


I do look forward to the match very much.

I think Fed keeps his number one regardless of what happens tomorrow.

Yeah thats what I just read from the ATP,I thought they would be battling it out for the ranking tomorrow but surprisingly thats not the case
Fed had loads of chances in the 1st set but Stan kept coming up with the goods to get him out of trouble
Good preparation for tomorrow me thinks

Tenez wrote:

Veejay wrote:Fed hangs onto the no 1 ranking for the U.S Open

Is that true? regarless what happens tomorrow?



The scoere between Stan and Fed is closer than it coudl have been. The first set could have easily been 61 or 62. But good to see Stan playing so well...and so did Fed. He looked tired towards teh end...or too relax....maybe both.



From what I saw today, I think Fed has a good chance tomorrow!

Tomorrow result will give us a clue for USO, so I expect a great struggle for that win. I expect that Nole will play patiently and will push on Fed from the beginning only that can bring this win for Nole. If Fed does not serve at his top then I see Nole takes it

I dont think tomorrows result will have any bearing on what happens at the U.S Open,even if the final turns out to be a Fed/Djokovic show down

Going in as the favourite means nothing more then that,there will be no panic in the losers camp

Federer v Djokovic. Neither has been broken in Cincy 2012.

I agree Vee! Apparently the USO will be played with different balls and best of 5. We know what happened in the last 2 USOs when they played best of 5!

The key in the USO is not to waste too much energy on the way to the semi...and even more so in the semi itself. Whoever will get Murray in the semi might be in trouble for the final.

Tenez wrote:I agree Vee! Apparently the USO will be played with different balls and best of 5. We know what happened in the last 2 USOs when they played best of 5!

The key in the USO is not to waste too much energy on the way to the semi...and even more so in the semi itself. Whoever will get Murray in the semi might be in trouble for the final.

The big question is in whose side of the draw Murray will be,if its Fed's draw then you'd have to favour Djokovic cause the semis are played on Saturday,which wont leave Fed much time to recover unless it rains and the final is played on the Monday
If Murray is in Djokovics side of the draw,then Roger is in with a real shot at the title
Of course theres Murray to consider too but I still think Djokovic and Federer are ahead of him in majors

I sometimes wonder about Djokovic and Federers last 2 meetings at the U.S open,I wonder if knowing that Nadal wasnt waiting in the final would have changed anything

I think Murray really could have a shot this year too cause he seems fitter, fresher than the other 2.

Regarding your last point I think you are right for the 2010 final but not because he was scared to meet Nadal but upset to have to play him very tired. I don;t think he was scared of meeting him in USO 2011 as he had a few more hours of rest...had he won.

The same old problem of Delpo, he just can't string few tournaments without getting injured and losing badly. He got injured in Rome and then the same injury affected him in his RG QF loss. Though he said his loss wasn't due to the injury in the after match interview but we all could see it . Some players don't like to talk about injuries and there are some who will come with strange injury talks months afterwards when there wasn't even a sign of it.

I heard commentators talking about his left wrist injury during the Troicki match, they were even speculating will he be able to win today considering he just wasn't able to hit backhand without pain. I;m not sure how fit will he be for the US open, such injuries take long time to heal completely.

Rotla you were right! Fed had no intention to tank his semi v Stan...which is a good thing. In fact think of it, Roger rarely tanks.

Those who think Nole is popular with teh media....read this:

raiders_of_the_lost_ark wrote:The same old problem of Delpo, he just can't string few tournaments without getting injured and losing badly. He got injured in Rome and then the same injury affected him in his RG QF loss. Though he said his loss wasn't due to the injury in the after match interview but we all could see it . Some players don't like to talk about injuries and there are some who will come with strange injury talks months afterwards when there wasn't even a sign of it.

Indeedy!

I heard commentators talking about his left wrist injury during the Troicki match, they were even speculating will he be able to win today considering he just wasn't able to hit backhand without pain. I;m not sure how fit will he be for the US open, such injuries take long time to heal completely.

How can a righty injure his left wrist? I know it happened to Davydenko too but it's amazing that the support wrist gets more damage than the main (right) one. Just shows how much power those guys transfer to the ball.

Tenez wrote:I think Murray really could have a shot this year too cause he seems fitter, fresher than the other 2.

Is he not almost always fresher going into any major tournament due to his early losses in the pre-Slam tournaments. Was he not fresh enough this Clay season having lost early in all the clay tournaments and withdrawing from Madrid.

raiders_of_the_lost_ark wrote:

Tenez wrote:I think Murray really could have a shot this year too cause he seems fitter, fresher than the other 2.

Is he not almost always fresher going into any major tournament due to his early losses in the pre-Slam tournaments. Was he not fresh enough this Clay season having lost early in all the clay tournaments and withdrawing from Madrid.

You really don;t want to give him any chance at all!

WHat happened in the past is in the past, tomorrow might provide a differente story. Federer (pre-2003) and Djoko (pre-2011) were not able to deliver....and suddenly they became unstoppable. I can't see Murray becoming unstoppable but certainly able to win a slam.

Tenez wrote:
You really don;t want to give him any chance at all!

well. maybe.

My point is if freshness and fitness could win slams or make one a major contendor, then the early losers in the masters and other pre-slam tournaments would always be favorites in slams. This isn't true, because the confidence that comes with winning a tournaments or even doing well is much more than the uncertainty and lack of belief and confidence that almost always comes with having rest and freshness gained due to an early loss.

Read Delpo interview after his QF win.

Full interview: http://assets.usta.com/assets/663/15/J._Del_Potro_-_08.17.12.pdf

-----------------------------------------------------

Q. With the Open coming up so soon,
are you pretty happy with your game and where
it stands right now, or still looking to work on
some things?
JUAN MARTIN DEL POTRO: Yeah, I
think I'm in good level at the moment after the
Olympics. I get confidence to play against all the
players.
But anyway I'm still feeling a little
difference between the top players and me. But I
know I'm getting closer very slowly, so that's
important. I'm working for that.

---------------------

I do not like the sound of it at all. If a player goes in a match with this mindset that he is not as good as the opponent and half the match is lost without even a point being played. I didn't expect Delpo to say this when ha has won a SLam and beaten all top player and most recently for the Bronze win over Djokovic. His fitness is one thing, but this show he lacks even in belief. Can he even play with the free mind like he did in 2009 US open?

raiders_of_the_lost_ark wrote:

Tenez wrote:
You really don;t want to give him any chance at all!

well. maybe.

My point is if freshness and fitness could win slams or make one a major contendor, then the early losers in the masters and other pre-slam tournaments would always be favorites in slams. This isn't true, because the confidence that comes with winning a tournaments or even doing well is much more than the uncertainty and lack of belief and confidence that almost always comes with having rest and freshness gained due to an early loss.

But that is taking the reasoning to extremes a bit. Freshness is only one factor when winning a slam I agree..though an important one when it comes to the USO cause of the superSat. Murray, though fresh he maybe, tends to get easily injured cause he plays defending tennis with an attacking frame (tall and bulky body).

I think he has a good chance to win of healthy....though I'd love to see 100 players to win a slam before him.

raiders_of_the_lost_ark wrote:I do not like the sound of it at all. If a player goes in a match with this mindset that he is not as good as the opponent and half the match is lost without even a point being played. I didn't expect Delpo to say this when ha has won a SLam and beaten all top player and most recently for the Bronze win over Djokovic. His fitness is one thing, but this show he lacks even in belief. Can he even play with the free mind like he did in 2009 US open?

Honestly, that doesn;t concern me. Look at Murray, he has always talked himself as being amongst the 4...yet he not there yet. I think Delpo is just saying what people see. It's already very good that he wants to overtake them but assesses the situation clearly.

raiders_of_the_lost_ark wrote:The same old problem of Delpo, he just can't string few tournaments without getting injured and losing badly. He got injured in Rome and then the same injury affected him in his RG QF loss. Though he said his loss wasn't due to the injury in the after match interview but we all could see it . Some players don't like to talk about injuries and there are some who will come with strange injury talks months afterwards when there wasn't even a sign of it.

I heard commentators talking about his left wrist injury during the Troicki match, they were even speculating will he be able to win today considering he just wasn't able to hit backhand without pain. I;m not sure how fit will he be for the US open, such injuries take long time to heal completely.

I was thinking the same thing yesterday,Del Potro gets injured quite a lot.Every time he seems to be making some serious progress something comes up that holds him back,sad and very frustrating for him,The thing with Del Potro is that,his injuries are far more believable then Rafa Nadals,theres more consistency and the information that the Del Potro camp releases to the media usually adds up
I also thought his injury played a big part in Federer coming back from being 2 sets down at RG,but its refreshing to see a player refuse to blame a loss on injuries.

Tenez wrote:
Honestly, that doesn;t concern me. Look at Murray, he has always talked himself as being amongst the 4...yet he not there yet. I think Delpo is just saying what people see. It's already very good that he wants to overtake them but assesses the situation clearly.

I don't take Murray talking in interviews same as Delpo's. Murray is not honest in interviews, he likes to blow his trumpet, he likes to give an impression of a wounded warrior fighting through all the pain and hardships. He doesn't talk what he really thinks. He can take a U-turn any moment. He talks lot of nonsense and there are load of examples for that.

On the contrary, Delpo is a lot honest in his replies. If he is saying he think he is below some of the top guys, then I would assume he really feels that way. Thats why I didn't like it because if then he will always feel low on confidence facing any of these top ranked guys that he is talking about. Not good for such a good young player at all.

Tenez wrote:I think Murray really could have a shot this year too cause he seems fitter, fresher than the other 2.

You are forgetting the Chardy match. He needs to stay focussed if he wants to win.

Tenez wrote:Regarding your last point I think you are right for the 2010 final but not because he was scared to meet Nadal but upset to have to play him very tired. I don;t think he was scared of meeting him in USO 2011 as he had a few more hours of rest...had he won.

He has a good chance to win USO 2012, Nadal or no Nadal.

Back from a beautiful bike ride around Dorney, so nice to see people out in the sun enjoying themselves fishing, picnicking, playing badminton....even tennis , I couldn't help myself and had to shout Djo-ko-vic twice

And now, let the real tennis joy begin GO NOLEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE

Darn it, Novak, why must you always start so slowly?!

Yikes 3:0
c'mon Nole.....nice and easy, it's only Rog on the other side.....

Three double faults and two losses of serve already?!

This is a good example of why I think things aren't right in Novak's head. Unbroken all tournament and then collapses in front of the big man!

At least Nole's got the coolest fans...we don't carry any of that Shot+ beauty, and shhh genius....crass stuff around ...

HM Murdoch wrote:Three double faults and two losses of serve already?!

This is a good example of why I think things aren't right in Novak's head. Unbroken all tournament and then collapses in front of the big man!

I'll reserve my judgement for the end of 2nd set

FOUR double faults and THREE losses of serve now! What is going on?!!

He seems to be struggling with his timing, and I don't know why.

HM Murdoch wrote:FOUR double faults and THREE losses of serve now! What is going on?!!

Maybe he caught the Davydenko virus

BAAAGEEEEL